Alive in TucsonCabin Weekend

With their second release, Saskatoon unit Alive in Tucson put forth a succinct set of straightforward pop rock songs reminiscent of Weezer or the Rentals' material from the '90s, albeit less technically dense on the whole.

With vocals that mirror the effortless drawl of Tigers Jaw's Ben Walsh in tandem with pounding power chords, songs like "No Growth" and "I'm No Fun" embody the upbeat nerd-rock atmosphere the band strive for. Although there's a lack of pronounced lead guitar work that seems to be a staple of every band derivative of the '90s giants (see Ozma or Tony Molina circa 2013), Alive in Tucson manage to keep songs short and sweet enough to be an easy and engaging listen overall.

Although a few edges may still be rough, Cabin Weekend has a distinct charm that fans of the genre will be sure to enjoy.
(Independent)